General-purpose hydraulic shovel



i. BRACH Feb. 4, i969 GENERAL -PURPOSE HYDRAULI C SHOVEL Sheet Filed NOV. 2l. 1966 Ignacy Brach NVENTOR Feb. 4, 1969 n. BRACH 3,425,572

GENERAL-PURPOSE HYDRAULIC SHOVEL Filed Nov. 21. 1966 sheet 2 of 4 F 5L 5 IqnacyBrach NVENTOR 94ml Q- izo Feb. 4, 1969 l. BRAcH GENERAL-PURPOSE HYDRAULIC SHOVEL Sheet Filed Nov. 21. 1966 F 'L g. 9 Ignacy Brach NVENTOR arl g' 12,055

Feb. 4, 1969 l. BRACH GENERAL-PURPOSE HYDRAULIC SHOVEL Sheet Filed Nov. 2l, 1966 ZOU F'LgM Iqacy Brach INVENTQR Attorney United States Patent P 111,765/ 65 U.S. Cl. 214-131 Int. Cl. E02f 3 00; B66c 23/06 7 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A hydraulic shovel comprising a rotary platform having a horizontally longitudinally extending truss structure in the form of a frame with two transversely spaced sets of bars extending upwardly from chords formed by the truss structure and interconnected crosswise by a stiftening frame. The shovel `can be used for pusher operation by pivoting the beam of the shovel at an upper portion of the truss in a slide housing, for backhoe operation by pivoting the beam upon the lower chord of the truss and a hydraulic cylinder at the vertex thereof, for front-end loading by pivoting the beam upon the rear bar of the truss, and as a crane by pivoting the boom on the chord of the truss while a tie rod reaches from the vertex of the truss to an upper point along the boom.

The invention relates to a general-purpose hydraulic shovel, which can operate as a hydraulic push shovel, hydraulic hoe shovel, hydraulic loading shovel or as a crane with hook, two-rope clamshell or drag-line scraper.

There are known hydraulic push shovels and hoe shovels. The cardinal disadvantage of them is their unadaptability to use as a crane for a two-rope clamshell or drag-line scraper. Another disadvantage of hitherto known hydraulic shovels of push type is their low efficiency caused by the large cutting angle, which is a requisite where large clearance angles are needed. The cutting angle can range up to 80; at such angles the action is not a cutting but a scraping of the surface. It is known, that at cutting angles of 60-90 the cutting resistance is 3-4 times higher than at relatively smaller cutting angle of, say, 25. The last quoted disadvantage is eliminated in a shovel (e.g. as described in applicants prior U.S. Patent No. 3,181,716) where the cutting process is performed along a circular trace, and therefore at a constant arbitrarily adjustable cutting angle; nevertheless in this system the extension beam, on which is located the rotation axle of the pushed shaft, is not supported over its length and sustains high bending moments. Thus this beam must have strong cross sections and considerable weight. The dicussed shovel also cannot be equipped with the clamshell or dragline system mentioned earlier, and therefore is of somewhat limited utility.

The principal object of the invention is to eliminate the considerable weight and inconvenience of the above-described arrangements and to provide an improved generalpurpose shovel.

According to the invention this object is achieved through the use of an extensible-framework frame or plain girder frame, forming a rigid entity, the separate beams of Which do not undergo bending. Moreover, this extension beam is used as a support for the rotation axis of various equipment: e.g. the push shovel, the hoe, or a crane structure.

Because of this frame a notably more simple and simultaneously more rigid structure for the shovel has been achieved.

The subject of the invention is described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in diagrammatic elevational view, the shovel with push bucket;

FIG. 2 shows a top view, partly broken away, of the shovel with push equipment;

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the shovel;

FIG. 4 shows a siede view of the mechanism, drawn to an elnlarged scale, for extending the counterweight or pedesta FIG. 5 shows the view of the counterweight-extending mechanism from rear of the shovel;

FIG. 6 shows a top view, partly in diagrammatic form, of the framework stilening the extension frames;

FIG. 7 shows the top View of the extension frames shifted inwardly with respect to the axis of the shovel;

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the extension frames of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows a side view of the shovel provided with hoe equipment;

FIG. 10 shows the side view of the shovel with a lift bucket; and

FIG. 1l shows a side view of the shovel provided with crane equipment.

On the rotary platform of any shovel there are mounted extension frames 1 and 1 (FIGS. 1 and 6), whereby these frames with their lower beams 2 and 2 are longitudinally and horizontally shiftable over the platform 3 of the shovel and over two longitudinal guide supports 4 and 4 (FIGS. 1 and 2) xed therebelow. The bifurcated lever 5 has legs 5 which, together with bucket 6, revolve by means of a servomotor hydraulic cylinder 7 around the point O1 (FIG. 1) and is shiftable longitudinally in a housing 8 (FIG. 1) with guide sleeves 8 (FIG. 2) by means of hydraulic-cylinder servomotors 9'.

Extension of frames 1 is performed by means of cylinders 10 or 10' (FIGS. 4 and 2, respectively) fitted upon the platform 3 of the shovel. The non-movable part of these servomotors is iixed to the platform, while the extensible part, usually the piston head, is fixed to the lower beam 2 and 2 forming the lower part of the extension frame 1 and 1. The extension beams may be made of profile steel, bent steel plates or of tubes. The extension frames 1 and 1' vplaced on these beams are cross-connected with frameworks 11 and 12 (FIG. 6) in order to obtain a rigid truss structure, which is of importance especially when the platform 3 revolves. The extension frames are set back and so shaped along edges of the platform 3 that they `do not create obstacles to tting and operation of mechanisms mounted on the rotary platform. The framework at the rear of the extension frames provides clearance for the motor and other devices. The extension frames can be shifted in to the center, i.e. near to the longitudinal axis of the rotary platform, but then the extension beam 2 must be arranged under the mechanisms or in the interior of the platform frame and may have a tubular cross section. The rear parts of frame 1 may extend beyond the edge of the platform, for they do not hinder the mechanisms. The frameworks 13 and 14 may, alternatively, connect both frames as shown in FIG. 7.

In a case of all-hydraulic drive, a combustion engine or an electric motor 15 (FIG. 2) drives pum-ps 16 and 16' supplying the hydraulic cylinders 9, 10, 10', etc. For the crane arrangement, two-rope clamshell or dragline scraper a twin-drum hoisting winch should be used as shown at 17 (FIG. 2); the winch is driven by rotary hydraulic motors.

If the extension frames are arranged at edges of the platform, the drivers cage 18 is placed along the median axis of the platform and may be xed either to the platform 3 or to frames 1, thus being extendable. In the case when the frames are set in toward the middle of the platform, the drivers cage rests on one side. The drive and power mechanisms are covered by a shield 19.

In order to secure a constant stability, which is especially important when push, loading or crane equipment is used and is less important for hoe operations, an extending counterweight 20 is used; the counterweight moves oppositely to the frame structure so that when the frame with its equipment is shifted forwardly, the counterweight is shifted rearwardly over the same or a reduced distance and vice versa (FIG. 1). To the lower beam 2, which is extendable by servomotors 10, 1G there are fastened, through a holder 22 (FIG. 4), two sections 21 of rope. Opposite ends of the rope sections are, through a holder 22, fastened to the counterweight 20. This arrangement ensures the reciprocal movement of the frame in relation to the counterweight.

In a shovel provided with a hoe (FIG. 9), the extension frame 1 is deprived of its front beams. As the rotation axis of the boom 23 the axis 0 is used. At the end of the boom on the rotation axis 24, I provide a rocking handle of the bucket 2S. The bucket 25 is driven by means of cylinder 9. The extension of the handle for given digging conditions is fixed with locating pins 26. The rotation of the handle S and of boom 23 is accomplished with cylinders 27 and 7, respectively, of the same type as in the push shovel.

Shifting the frame 1 parallel to the platform allows one to use the shovel as a loading device. The lever 28 (FIG. rocks round the rotation center 29 on the rearwardmost bar of the basic triangular truss structure and it is driven by the servomotor 7 pivoted at a joint proximal by the junction of the forward bar on chord 2 of the truss. Lifting the bucket 30 is performed by means of an four-bar linkage, i.e. of a system of levers 28, 32, 33, 34 forming a quadric mechanism assuring a parallel guiding of the bucket. Rotation of the bucket 30 around its rotation axis 35 arranged on a toggle 36, is performed by means of a cylinder 37. The drive and manner of rotation of the bucket may be by one of the known methods.

When the shovel is fitted with crane equipment for twinrope clamshell or dragline scraper, a boom 38 journaled in suitable rotation point of the beam 2 is hinged on a tie-bar or stiff bar 39, where a possibility of length adjustment is provided by a turnbuckle 40.

Through application of a pair of extension frames 1 the digging work is significantly improved. The cutting is performed along circular paths, for given height of the slope; the number of these circular arcs depends on the thickness of the slice and upon the slope height H (FIG. 9).

An advantage of such a method of slicing is the smallest slicing angle, as there is no need of giving the clearance angle, and the tooth describes an arc always of the same shape and radius. By diminishing the cutting angle, the capacity of the bucket may be increased by more than 50%.

After the bucket has been lifted from the level of the base of the shovel, it can freely travel from one place to another. Shifting the bucket forwardly enables the operator to drive the shovel downwards to the excavation. It is also useful and convenient when shallow excavations are dug and when stony ground is encountered and is not possible to dig along circular paths. The path described by the tooth of the bucket may also be comprised between the arc a of the elevated bucket and the arc b upon extending the bucket downwardly.

The operation of the shovel with the hoe equipment runs from the farthest range M" to the nearest one M after stepwise shifting the point 0" to the point 0 over the slice thickness. Digging is performed along defined circular arcs, which will be identical if the depth of digging H is constant and if the rotation center 24 is at the same depth. Slicing will be then performed along the same arcs from the arc o to the arc d at constant and possibly smalles cutting angle.

An application of extension frames in the loader (FIG. l0) renders it possible to shift the bucket over a distance m without the necessity of riding upon the pile or of digging with the entire shovel when loading. After bringing the machine near to the pile and placing it in the point P, the shovel does not travel further under an action of the drive mechanism, as it takes place by all front loaders, but the further extending the bucket is performed through the extension of the frame 1. The bucket is filled being revolved simultaneously with the cylinder 37. After filling the bucket, there follows a revolution of the entire shovel and the dumping of the excavated material onto a conveyor or other conveyance located nearby; the extending motion of the frame enables the operator to set the bucket above the conveyor.

Adaptation of the loading equipment on a frame of the shovel gives rise to an important advantage in comparison with known front loaders incapable of rotation since, after filling the bucket, the entire machine must be withdrawn and turned by normal vehicle manipulations.

This causes loss of power and wear of tires and requires at least twice the length of the work cycle by cornparison with a rotable loader. Extending the bucket of the loader with frame 1 has also the advantage that there is no need to use a drive on both axles of a vehicle having wheels provided with tires; such drives have been necessary in conventional front loaders since, during filling the bucket and operating with the cylinder 9, there can occur a lifting of front wheels of the shovel, thereby making it impossible to proceed when only this front axle is driven. In a shovel according to the invention such a situation does not arise because use of the travel mechanism is not necessary in the course of filling.

The provision of extension frames, in accordance with the invention, on a shovel having crane equipment also greatly simplifies the construction, since it renders it possible to mount the boom 38 rigidly. Changing of the radius of the hook from the point S to the point S is performed by frames 1.

If this extension is not possible, the boom would have to be brought down by means of a separate drive, with alteration of slope angle eg. from to 30; at the distance L1, the rope pulley is shifted to the position T. The lifting gear should have, as is usual, two drums 17 with couplings and brakes.

What we claim is:

1. A hydraulic shovel comprising a mobile platform rotable about a generally vertical axis; a pair of similar horizontally spaced truss structures interconnected for joint longitudinal horizontal movement relatively to said platform, said truss structures each including at least one longitudinally extending substantially horizontal chord slidably mounted on said platform and at least one pair of upwardly converging bars interconnected at a vertex above said chord and anchored at longitudinally spaced locations relatively thereto, said truss structures defining a first pivotal axis on said chords proximal to the forwardmost of said bars for enabling selective pivotal connection to said truss structures of backhoe means, crane means and means for manipulating pusher-bucket means and scooploader means, a second pivotal axis at said vertexes for enabling selective pivotal connection to said truss structure of means for manipulating said backhoe means and means for supporting said crane means, a third pivotal axis above said chords and forwardly of said first pivotal axis for enabling pivotal connection to said truss structure of said pusher-bucket means, and a fourth pivotal axis on the rearwardmost of said bars below said vertexes for enabling pivotal connection to said truss structures of said scoop-loader means; and a load-carrying beam pivotally connected to said truss structures at one of said pivotal axes for swinging movement relatively thereto, said beam forming part of one of said backhoe, crane, pusher-bucket and scoop-loader means.

2. The shovel deiined in claim 1, further comprising counterweight means mounted on said platform and coupled with said chord for reciprocal horizontal movement relatively thereto.

3. The shovel defined in claim 1 wherein said beam carries a pusher bucket, said shovel further comprising a guide housing receiving said beam and pivotally mounted on said truss structures at said third pivotal axis, and hydraulic cylinder means pivotally mounted on said truss structures at said iirst axis and pivotally connected to said guide housing.

4. The shovel dened in claim 1 wherein said beam forms part of a backhoe and is pivotally connected to said truss structures at said first axis, said shovel further comprising a bucket swingably mounted on said beam, and hydraulic cylinder means pivotally connected to said truss structure at said second axis and to said beam.

5. The shovel defined in claim 1 wherein said beam is part of a loader, said beam being pivotally mounted upon said truss structures at said fourth axis, said shovel further comprising a scoop swingably mounted upon said beam, and hydraulic cylinder means pivotally connected 6. The shovel defined in claim S, further comprising a `scoop-control link operatively connected with said scoop and pivotally connected to said truss structures at said second axis.

7. The shovel defined in claim 1 wherein said beam is a crane boom pivotally connected to said truss structures at said rst axis, said shovel further comprising an extensible member connected to said truss structures at said second axis and to said boom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,277,214 8/1918 Hoster ..-214-142 X 1,307,448 6/1919 Lorch 214-142 1,504,427 8/1924 Butler 214-141 X 1,506,906 9/1924 HOlCOmb et al 214-135 2,726,778 12/ 1955 Hough et al 214-774 3,148,789 9/1964 Gourjon 214-138 3,181,716 5/1965 Brach 214-141 X HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R.

to said-truss structures at said irst axis and to said beam. 25 214-135, 138, 141, 140; 212-59 

